Method and means for protecting meat during shipment



F. F. HANLON Oct. 22, 1929.

METHOD AND MEANS FOR PROTECTING MEAT DURING SHIPMENT Original Filed Feb. 25, 1927 Patented Oct. 22, 1929 FRANK F. HANLON, or COLUMBUS, OHIO METHOD AND MEANS FOR PROTECTING MEAT DURING SHIPMENT Refiled for abandoned application Serial No. 170,998, filed February 25, 1 927. This application. filed January 30, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in methods and means for protecting and covering meats during shipment and other handling thereof following the removal of the meat from the cooler or refrigerating room of a packing plant and during the time of its transportation to the refrigerator of the retail dealer.

This application is a substitute for application 170,998, filed Feb. 25, 1927.

Heretofore, in the handling of meats, particularly beef quarters, meat packers have been put to very considerable expense and labor in following customary methods of 5 wrapping and protecting the meats for handling and transportation. In shipping beef quarters especially it has been necessary to first wrap the meat in a spiral manner through the medium of a relatively heavy grade of wrapping paper in the form of strips or ribbons, after which the beef is placed in a cotton sack or bag for freight car shipment, or when expressed it has been necessary to again add a third wrapping in the form of burlap, which is applied spirally around the bag or sack and is then sewed 0r stitched in place. Practice has disclosed that the primary wrapping of the spirally applied strips of paper is not satisfactory so due to the fact that the paper loses its position by slipping out of place, is slow and costly to perform and has a tendency to work down, thereby exposing the beef to the elements, producin an unsatisfactory and of ten unsanitary orm of covering. Then, it is necessary-to apply the additional outer wrapping to overcome the insecure condition set up by the primary'wrapping, which in the case of freight shipment involves the 40 application of a fabric bag and in the case of express shipment involves in addition to the cotton bag an additional layer or layers of the spirally wrapped and stitched burlap.

To overcome this and other similar conditions well known in the shipment of beef,

particularly beef quarters, the present invention consists in placing quarters of beef, immediately before shipment, in an especial- 1y constructed heavy grade paper bag, shaped 5 to accommodate the quarters of beef and to Serial No. 250,961.

fully and adequately cover all parts thereof, whereby the meat may be handled rapidly and conveniently, taking but a minimum of time to perform the operation necessary to fully protect the meat and accomplishing this economically and satisfactorily with an improved degree of protection.

In the accompanying drawin Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bag used in receiving the hind quarter of a beef,

Figure 2 is a similar view of a bag employed for receiving the front quarter,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the bag as constructed for receiving the round section,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bag disclosed in Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 1 designates the paper bag or container, which is formed from a heavy grade of paper and possesses an outline best adapted to enable the bag to receive quarters of beef which they are designed primarily to handle. The bag shown in Figure 1 includes closed side edges and bottom edges 2 and 3 respectively, the top thereof being left open normally to enable each bag to receive the hind quarter of beef. By this construction when a shipment of beef is to be made a quarter of beef is placed in each bag and the open upper end of said bag is closed and sealed in any suitable manner such as by means of adhesive paper strips, metallic clips or other suitable appliances. The meats are then in condition for immediate shipment and may be placed in refrigerator cars, trucks or the like and through customary means of transportation and distribution delivered directly or through usual channels to the refrigerators ofthe retail dealers. During this period of handling the meat is entirely protected and maintained completely covered and therefore in a sanitary and protected condition. It is unnecessary to add additional covering of any description, however, if freight regulations so require the container may be placed in an additional fabric sack or wrapped with burlap, but such added protection is considered unnecessary and is to be used only in case shipping regulations arbitrarily provide for the same. Practical experience, however, has

demonstrated that the bag 1 is all that is reuired to thoroughly protect the meat, since t 0 bag is of suflicient mechanical strength to withstand the severe handling of the meat during shipment, and its strength is such that it is not apt to tear, rip or to become removed or partly removed from the meat while being so handled. In fact, experience has shown that the customary methods of wrapping beef give considerably more touble in this respect than is encountered by the use of my present method. For these reasons, among others, the present invention provides a more durable, sanitary and economical manner of protecting beef during shipmentthan any other method of which I am now aware. he bag 1 is formed preferably from a heavy, tough grade of paper which may have either a smooth finish or may be in the form of a heavy grade crepe paper. For commercial reasons, however, I prefer the standard smooth finished papers. The open upper edges 4.- and 5 of the bag permit the front and back walls thereof to be adequately separated and to provide an enlarged entrance facilitating-the insertion or withdrawal of the beef quarters therefrom. This construction enables the bag to be opened partially from at least two sides so that there will be little or no difficulty in slipping the receptacle around or from an associated. beef quarter. The edge 5 extends angularly with respect to the adjoining vertical side edge 2 and conforms roughly to the general outline of the beef uarter. Moreover, the lower portion of the e ge 5 is reinforced by a fabric strip 6, although other mateilals may be used, and the strip 6 serves to prevent tearing of the closed portion of the bag adjacent the open edges 5. The back walls of the bag are formed to in I .clude overlapping strips and marginal strips 7 and 8, which are adhesively united and provide for the marginal reinforcement of the container. It will be understood, however, that with the exception of the strip 6 the bag is formed from a single blank of paper, out to assume the configuration set forth.

In the form of the invention disclosed in Figure l the lower left hand corner of the bag is folded over as indicated at 9, so as to reinforce the bottom of the bag and at the same time to enable the latter to conform more closely to the contour of the beef quarter it carries.

These same features of construction are carried out in all of the other forms of the bag, as indicated in Figures 2 and 3. In Figure 2 the bag disclosed is slightly wider but not quite as long as the bag depicted in Figure 1. This bag is adapted for the reception of the front quarter of the beef and consequently has been proportioned to best accommodate the same without using an unnecessary amount of material. In Figure 2 the lower right hand corner of the ba has been turned upwardly as at 10, to pro uce a corner reinforcement, which is adhesively secured to the main body of the bag. In Figure 3 the bag had been shaped to accommodate that portion of a beef known as the round. Its broad outlines, however, is the same as that disclosed in Figures 1 and 2 with the exception that the turned over corner portions have not been employed.

In view of the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides an especially designed paper bag for the reception of the various beef sections and of such form as to provide complete, economical and conveniently adapted protection for such beef during periods of handling and shipment, avoiding particularly the practice of wrapping the beef with helically applied paper and fabric strips. The bag is of such construction as to be reinforced at all vital points where tear and injury would be apt to occur, it is well shaped to conform with the outline of the particular beef quarter received therein, possesses long lifeand durability, and embodies many features of economy as well as enhanced protection to insure the sanitary handling of the meat. \Vhile I have particularly described the bag as being adaptable for the handling ofbeef quarters, I nevertheless do not limit myself in any sense to these meats alone, as'it is obvious that the bag may be readily adapted to receive other kinds of meats such as lamb or the like with but slight modifications.

It should be borne in mind that the bag of the present invention is intended for the reception of the relativelv heavy beef quarters which comprise the bulky, wide and thick butt portions, and the relatively thinner and tapering shank or hock portions. The cutting away of the upper edges of the front and rear walls to cause these upper edges to lie at an angle with respect to the side edges, secures a number of desirable objects, in that it saves material, it causes the bag to conform to the general shape of the object enclosed; it leaves less material -to be wrapped around the relatively thin shank, in the closing of the bag, so that a heater closing may be effected, and, which is most important of all, it increases the effective size of the opening constituting the mouth of the bag, so that the entry of the relatively wide and thick butt portion thereinto, is facilitated. When the bag is made of heavy crepe paper, as hereinbefore described, it has the further advantage that its walls are rendered more or less elastic. Plain paper is non-elastic, while crepe paper, by reason of the numerous fine convolutions or crinkles formed therein, is laterall elastic or yieldable. Thus, when crepe paper is used, there is less tendency for the bag to tear, under strain, because the paper will yield to accommodate itself to the strain brought to bear thereon, during the insertion of the irregularly shaped meat sections that are being placed therein.

In addition, particular attention is directed to the fact that not only is the short side of the bag reinforced throughout its height,

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but that it is doubly reinforced at the juncture of the top edges and the upper end of the short side of the bag.

This is important because this is the point which is likely to catch. the greatest strain during the insertion of a thick butt section into the mouth of the bag.

What is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a paper bag proportioned in size and shape for the shipment of meat sections comprising relatively thick and Wide butt portions and tapering shank portions, said bag having closed sides, a closed bottom, and an open top, one of said sides being materially shorter than the other, so that the top edges of the bag will extend through a distance materially greater than the width of the bag, to thereby increase the effective mouth opening of the bag, to facilitate the entry of the wide and thick butt portion of the beef sections thereinto.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a paper bag proportioned in size and shape for the shipment of meat sections comprising relatively thick and wide butt portions and tapering shank portions, said bag having closed sides, a closed bottom, and an open top, one of said side Walls being materially shorter than the other, so that the top edges of the bag will extend throu' h a distance materially greater than the width of the bag, to thereby increase the effective mouth opening of the bag, to facilitate the entry of the Wide and thick butt portions of the beef sections thereinto, and a reinforcing element disposed at the juncture of the upper edges of the bag and the shorter side Wall thereof.

- 3. As a new article of manufacture, a bag of heavy crepe paper proportioned in size and shape for the shipment of meat sections comprising relatively thick and wide butt portions and tapering shank portions, sald bag having closed sides, a closed bottom, and an open top, one of said side walls being materially shorter than the other, so that the top edges of the bag will extend through a distance materially greater than the Width of the bag, to thereby increase the effective mouth opening of the bag, to facilitate the entry of the wide and thick butt portion of a beef section, thereinto.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a bag of elastic paper, proportioned in size and shape for the shipment of meat sections comprising relatively thick and wide butt portions and tapering shank portions, said bag having closed sides,,a closed bottom, and an open top, one of said side Walls being materially shorter than the other, edges of the bag will extend through a distance materially greater than the width of the bag, to thereby increase the effective mouth opening of the bag, to facilitate the entry of the Wide and thick butt portion "of a beef section, thereinto.

5. As a new article of manufacture a bag formed of elastic material, proportioned in size andshape for the shipment of meat sections comprlsing relatively thick and wide butt portions and tapering shank portions, said bag having closed sides, a closed bottom, and an open top, one of said side Walls being materially shorter than the other, so that the top edges of the bag will extend through a.

so that the top distance materially greater than the width of the bag, to thereby increase the effective mouth opening of the bag, to facilitate the entry of the wide and thick butt portion of a beef section, thereinto.

6. As a new article of manufacture, proportioned in size and shape for the tion of meat quarters, comprising the heavy wide and thick butt portions and the tapering shank portions, made from a single sheet of material bent upon itself and having its upper edges so shaped that one side of the bag is rendered materially shorter than the other, the material of the bag being folded over to unite the opposed sides of said bag along the short ed e of the bag and along the bottom thereof, said folded over portions reinforcing the bag throughout the length of the short side of the bag and across the bottom thereof, the shape of the upper edges of the bag being such as to cause the upper edges of the bag to define a distance materially greater than the width of the bag to thereby increase the effective mouth opening of the bag and facilitate the entrance of the thick butt portions of the beef quarters, therein, While leaving a reduced amount of material to be secured around the shank portions of said uarters.

s a new article of manufacture, proportioned insize and shape for the recep= tion of meat quarters comprising the heavy wide and thick butt portions and the tapering shank portions, made from a single sheet of' material, bent upon itself, and having its upper edges so shaped that one side of the bag is rendered materially shorter than the other, the material of the bag being folded over to unite the opposed sides of said bag along the short edge of the bag and along the bottom thereof, said folded over portions reinforcing the bag throughout the length of the short side of the bag and across the bottom thereof, the shape of the upper edges of a bag recepa bag .the bag being such as to cause the upper edges of the bag to define a distance materially greater than the width of the bag to thereby lncrease the effective mouth opening of the bag and facilitate the entrance of the thick butt portions of the beef quarters, therein while leaving a reduced amount of materia to be secured around the shank portions of said quarters, and an additional reinforein element at the juncture of the upper edges 0 the bag and the shorter side edge thereof.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a bag proportioned in size and shape for the reception of meat quarters comprising the heavy wide and thick butt portions and the tapering shank portions, made from a single sheet of material, bent upon itself, and having its upper edges so shaped that one side of the bag is rendered materially shorter than the other, the material of the bag being folded over to unite the opposed sides of said bag along the short edge of the bag and along the bottom thereof, said folded over portions reinforcing the bag throughout the length of the short side of the bag and across the bottom thereof, the shape of the upper edges of the bag being such as to cause the upper edges of the bag to define a distance materially greater than the width of the bag to thereby increase the effective mouth opening of the bag and facilitate the entrance of the thick butt portions of the beef quarters, therein, while leaving a reduced amount of material to be secured around the shank portions of said quarters, and an additional reinforcing element at the juncture of the upper edges of the bag and the shorter side edge thereof, said bag being formed of lateral extensible material.

- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK F. HANLON. 

